Methods of forming polycrystalline compacts

Abstract

Polycrystalline compacts include a polycrystalline superabrasive material comprising a first plurality of grains of superabrasive material having a first average grain size and a second plurality of grains of superabrasive material having a second average grain size smaller than the first average grain size. The first plurality of grains is dispersed within a substantially continuous matrix of the second plurality of grains. Earth-boring tools may include a body and at least one polycrystalline compact attached thereto. Methods of forming polycrystalline compacts may include coating relatively larger grains of superabrasive material with relatively smaller grains of superabrasive material, forming a green structure comprising the coated grains, and sintering the green structure. Other methods include mixing diamond grains with a catalyst and subjecting the mixture to a pressure greater than about five gigapascals (5.0 GPa) and a temperature greater than about 1,300° C. to form a polycrystalline diamond compact.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a polycrystalline compact, comprising:
 coating larger grains of superabrasive material having a first average grain size between about five microns (5 μm) and about forty microns (40 μm) with smaller grains of superabrasive material having a second average grain size between about five nanometers (5 nm) and about two microns (2 μm);   forming a green structure comprising the larger coated grains; and   sintering the green structure by subjecting the green structure for less than about two minutes to a pressure greater than about six and a half gigapascals (6.5 GPa) and a temperature greater than about 1,500° C. to form a continuous matrix of the smaller grains including in-situ nucleated grains, to form inter-granular bonds between the larger grains and the smaller grains, to prevent growth of the larger grains, and to prevent shrinkage of the smaller grains, wherein the larger grains are dispersed within the continuous matrix, and at least some of the larger grains are non-contiguous.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the superabrasive material of each of the larger grains and the smaller grains to comprise diamond. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mixing a catalyst material comprising at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel with the larger grains coated with the smaller grains. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coating larger grains of superabrasive material with smaller grains of superabrasive material comprises electrospraying the smaller grains of superabrasive material over the larger grains of superabrasive material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting each of the larger grains of hard material and the smaller grains of hard material to comprise a material selected from the group consisting of diamond, cubic boron nitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, titanium carbide, tungsten carbide, and tantalum carbide. 
     
     
         6 . A method of forming a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
 mixing a first plurality of diamond grains with a second plurality of diamond grains and a catalyst for catalyzing the formation of diamond-to-diamond inter-granular bonds, the first plurality of grains having a first average grain size between about five microns (5 μm) and about forty microns (40 μm), the second plurality of grains having a second average grain size between about five nanometers (5 nm) and about two microns (2 μm); and   controlling sintering parameters including temperature, pressure, and time including subjecting the mixture for less than about two minutes to a pressure greater than about 6.5 gigapascals (GPa) and a temperature greater than about 1,500° C. to form a polycrystalline diamond compact comprising in-situ nucleated diamond grains of hard material, the first plurality of diamond grains and the second plurality of diamond grains, to prevent growth of the first plurality of diamond grains, to prevent shrinkage of the second plurality of diamond grains, and to form a continuous matrix comprising the second plurality of diamond grains in which the first plurality of diamond grains are embedded, wherein at least some of the first plurality of grains are non-contiguous.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising forming the polycrystalline diamond compact such that each diamond grain of the first plurality is at least substantially entirely surrounded by diamond grains of the second plurality. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising forming the polycrystalline diamond compact such that about 90% or less of the diamond grains of the first plurality are in direct physical contact with other diamond grains of the first plurality. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising forming the polycrystalline diamond compact such that about 60% or less of the diamond grains of the first plurality are in direct physical contact with other diamond grains of the first plurality. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising forming the polycrystalline diamond compact such that about 30% or less of the diamond grains of the first plurality are in direct physical contact with other diamond grains of the first plurality. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising forming the polycrystalline diamond compact such that about 10% or less of the first plurality of grains are in direct physical contact with others of the first plurality of grains. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein mixing a first plurality of diamond grains with a second plurality of diamond grains comprises mixing the first plurality of diamond grains having the first average grain size that is between about five (5) times and about three hundred (300) times greater than the second average grain size with the second plurality of diamond grains. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein subjecting the mixture to a pressure greater than about 6.5 GPa and a temperature greater than about 1,500° C. comprises forming the in-situ nucleated diamond grains between the first plurality of diamond grains and the second plurality of diamond grains. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising forming the polycrystalline diamond compact such that less than about 5% of a volume of the polycrystalline diamond compact comprises interstitial spaces filled with the catalyst. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the polycrystalline compact such that about 30% or less of the larger grains are in direct physical contact with other grains of the larger grains. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the polycrystalline diamond compact such that about 10% or less of the larger grains are in direct physical contact with other grains of the larger grains. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising selecting the larger grains and the smaller grains to comprise the same superabrasive material.